Lacquer



Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LACQUER Edward F. Johnston, Wilmington, Del.

No Drawing. Application November 11, 1930,

Serial No. 494,997

6 Claims. (Cl. 92-40) My invention relates to an improved covering selves thoroughly coated and impregnated with material either in the form of a film, sheet or the dye, the resultant lacquer or varnish having fabric, or flowable, as a lacquer, paint, or coating, this augmented cellulose content presents a deemploying as one ingredient a cellulose derivacided improvement in wearing qualities and re- 6 tivesistance to exterior conditions than has hereto- Primarily, the invention contemplates the use of fore been obtained. a a dyed cellulose derivative or ester, as distin- In using the preliminarily dyed cellulose derivaguished from conventional processes whereinthe tive or an undyed cellulose derivative to form cellulose material is subjected to a solvent, carrier films, sheets or fabrics, the material is preferably 10 or vehcle, and thereafter an appropriate quanmoistened with watenalcohol or other materials 0 tity of pigmentor other coloring supplied. to an extent sufilcient to permit formation of the An object of the invention is to use a prelimistrips after the manner of paper by subjecting the narily dyed cellulose ester or derivative, that is, material to the action of a beater, passing it over an ester which has been dyed either in a moist a Fourdrinier machine, and rolled 'as required.

or wetted state, or in a substantially dry condi- The film or sheet is but partially dried and the 15 tionweb so produced in slightly moist state is then To this end, and in accordance with the present sprayed with or run through a bath of any one invention, the cellulose derivative or ester freed of a number of plasticizers, among which may from excess chemicals and preferably moistened be mentioned camphor, castor oil, linseed oil, and

or wetted, is provided with a coating or impregnaoxygenated derivatives of the turpenes. 20 tion of the selected dye, and is thereafter made The web so treated is then subjected to the into a solution or fiowable mass, or into a film volatiles or vapors of any one of a number of oror sheet, with the result that a coating or sheeted ganic materials, such as a mixture of buty a d material is obtained possessing excellent body, ethyl acetate, acetone, amyl acetate, or in fact strength and uniform color and, in the case of any other solvents for the cellulose derivatives 25 flowable coatings, as well as in the film or sheeted or esters. This treatment clarifies the sheet, and condition, the tensile strength and flexibility proit is then allowed to harden. 1 duced isremarkable. The resultant sheet, film, or fabric is an ex- In carrying out the invention, a preliminarily cellent wrapper or covering possessing linusual dyed cellulose ester, such as nitrocellulose or tensile strength combined with flexibility. It is 30 cellulose acetate, that is to say, a cellulose derivanot necessary to clarify the film in all cases, but

. tive or ester, as obtained from a nitration, acetyla this step produces a completely transparent sheet tion or other process after removal of excess which, in many cases, is desirable. chemicals and in moist or substantially dry con- It will be understood that the coating of the dition and in which the fibres or flakes so obpresent invention or the sheeted product thereof 35 tained are coated and impregnated with a suitis quick drying and quick hardening, and it will able dye, is employed. By moistening is meant be understood that while I have mentioned cela wetting with alcohol or Water up to 30% by lulose esters of the class of cellulose acetate and weight of the cellulose derivative, in lieu of alco- .cellulose nitrate, that other similar materials may hol or water other materials may be employed. be. employed.

Any suitable dye may be used for dyeing the The invention is susceptible of modification and moistened or dry cellulose ester, and while I prefer change, and such alterations are comprehended Well known organic dyes or intermediates, obvi-v within the scope of the appended claims. cusly there are numerous inorganic substances Iclaim:

which are quite useful and are employed, as occa- 1. The process of preparing a sheeted product, 45

sion requires. which comprises dyeing a mass of cellulose deriva- The dyeing may take place by submitting the tive which has been previously moistened, formcellulose derivative to a suitable dye bath or the ing a web therefrom, partially drying the sheet, dye may be sprayed upon a constanly moving 01 passing the web through a plasticizer and subagitated mass of the cellulose. jecting it to a gaseous treatment to clarify the 50 A further feature of the present invention reresultant sheet, and permitting the sheet to sides in the fact that, since less pigment is necesdry. sary than with conventional lacquers, a greater 2. The process of preparing a colored sheeted amount of the cellulose body can be employed in product which comprises preparing a mass of celthe carrier and since the cellulose fibres are themlulose ester, spraying the mass with a suitable as dye, subjecting the mass in moist condition to the action of a beater, forming the pulp-like mass into a paper-like web, and passing the web through a plasticizer.

3. The process of preparing a sheeted product comprising preparing a wet mass of cellulose derivative material, forming a paper-like web therefrom, treating the web with a plasticizer, and allowing the web to harden.

4. The process of preparing a substantially transparent sheeted product comprising preparing a wet mass of cellulose derivative material, forming a paper-like web therefrom, treating the web with 'a plasticizer, treating the web with a clarifying agent, and allowing the web to hard- 5. The process of preparing a substantially transparent sheeted product comprising dyeing a mass of cellulose derivative material, clarifying and forming a web therefrom, treating the web with a plasticizer and allowing the web to harden.

6. The process of preparing a sheeted product comprising preparing a dyed wet mass of cellulose derivative material, forming a paper-like web therefrom, treating the web with a plasticizer, and allowing the web to harden.

EDWARD F. JOHNSTON. 

